Printing head



P. M. POPE PRINTING HEAD Oct. 22, 1935.

Filed June 12, 1934 IEVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 22, T935 UNITED STATES PRINTING HEAD Paul M. Pope, Greenwich, Conn assignor to A.

Kimball Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 12, 1934, Serial No. 730,190

4 Claims. (Cl. 101-390) This invention relates to printing heads of the type used in marking machines which are employed in printing prices and similar indicia on price tags and the like.

In such machines it is customary to feed strips of tags along a bed plate to a platen where the printing is done, and in most cases a printing chase is carried by a reciprocating or oscillating carrier or head which is operated in synchronism with the tag feed mechanism.

Tag strips used in connection with such machines are of two kinds, one in which the tags are arranged side by side, and the other in which the tags are arranged end to end. Inasmuch as it is desirable that the printed indici-a should run transversely of the tag, it has been customary, in order to be able to print both kinds of tags in the desired manner, to provide type chases in which the type could be set in either of two directions. In changing from one kind of tags to another, it has been necessary to reset the type.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a construction which will permit the type chase to be adjusted'quickly and easily and without resetting the type in order that the printing may be caused to run in the desired direction on tag strips of either of the kinds previously referred to.

A preferred embodiment ofthe invention selected for purposes of illustration is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a top plan view showing the chase in one position of adjustment.

Figure 2 is a top plan view showing the chase in another position of adjustment.

Figure 3 is a side elevation showing the chase in position corresponding to Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a side elevation showing the chase in position corresponding to Figure '2.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 1, and

Figure 6 is a side elevation with the chase in position illustrated in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, the type chase l is supported by the holder 2 having flanges 3 fitting into the grooves 4 in the chase in order that the chase may slide in and out of the holder 2 in the manner of a drawer.

The type chase l and its holder 2 are mounted on a carrier comprising an arm 5 and a plate 6 secured thereto, the arm being provided with an aperture 1 adapted to fit a shaft of the marking machine in order that the printing head may be actuated thereby.

The type chase and its holder are mounted on the carrier in such manner as to permit the chase to be moved to a plurality of positions of adjustment. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, this is accomplished by providing a spin- 5 die 8 which is fixed to the holder 2, as by a screw thread engagement, which said spindle extends through the-plate 6 so as to form an axis for rotation of the holder with respect to the carrier. The said spindle extends in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the faces of the type 9 carried by the chase, so that the faces of the type will remain in the same plane as the chase is rotated from one position of adjustment to another.

Surrounding the spindle 8 is a spring I0 held under compression between the washer H and the plate 6. This spring serves to keep the holder 2 in frictional engagement with the plate 6 and prevents any lost motion between the two. If desired, the spring may be enclosed within the tubular housing l2.

Means are also provided to hold the chase in the desired positions of adjustment, and in the preferred embodiment such means comprises a pin 13 mounted on the spring M which is secured to the plate 6 by the screw l5. The pin I3 acts as a latch in cooperation with apertures ll formed in the upper face of the holder 2, the said apertures being located so that the pin I3 may drop into the aperture to hold the chase in the desired positions of adjustment.

It will be observed that the chase may be rotated with respect to the carrier to any desired position of adjustment, but in many cases it is 85 sufiicient if the chase can be adjusted and held in the two positions illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

In such cases it has been found convenient to provide a limit stop it attached to the holder 2 which engages the plate 6 as shown in Figure 1 40 when the chase is in one position, and which engages the plate 6 as shown in Figure 2 when the chase is in another position.

It will be understood that the invention may be variously modified and embodied within the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. Printing apparatus, comprising, in combination, a type chase, a holder therefor, a carrier, said holder being mounted on said carrier torso pivotal movement about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the faces of the type carried by said chase, and a latch to hold said holder in a plurality of positions of adjustment.

2. Printing apparatus, comprising, in combination, a type chase, a holder therefor, a carrier, said holder being pivotally mounted on said carrier, and resilient means to hold said holder in frictional engagement with said carrier. 7

3. Printing apparatus, comprising, in combination, a type chase, a holder therefor, a carrier, means providing a pivotal connection between said holder and carrier comprising, a spindle secured to said holder and extending through said carrier, and a spring surrounding said spindle adapted to hold said holder in frictional engagement with said carrier.

4. Printing apparatus, comprising, in combination, a type chase, a holder therefor, a carrier, means providing a pivotal connection between said holder and carrier, comprising, a spindle secured to said holder and extending through said carrier, a spring surroundingsaid spindle adapted to hold said holder in frictional engagement with said carrier, and a latch to hold said holder in a plurality of positions of adjustment PAUL M. POPE. 

